Pages

Tuesday, August 2, 2011

John Is Fit

John Is Fit


Second Year on CPAP

Posted: 02 Aug 2011 04:09 AM PDT

I had a good first year on CPAP and somehow I managed to have an even better second year. I'm not sure why I can stick to this so well (when so many other people have difficulty with it) and yet I can't stick to any sort of eating or exercising plan.

To summarize the results of my first year, I used the CPAP machine for 339/365 days for a total of 1902 hours of sleep, an average of 5.60 hours of sleep per night. 5.60 hours of restful sleep.

I was a little late to notice (or plan for) my official second year date, so I'm actually a few weeks past a full second year, but in the time since that first year I have used the machine 379/387 nights for a total of 2222 hours of sleep, an average of 5.86 hours of sleep per night using the machine.

You'll notice I missed 26 nights my first year (the majority of which where in the first month of using the CPAP machine) and just 8 in my second year+. So I am missing fewer nights and sleeping slightly longer. I'm very pleased with that!

Getting used to using a CPAP machine is great, and I am happy for the restful sleep I can tell I am getting when I use it. Of course, I would prefer not to have to use it, but as long as I need it I might as well use it as much as possible.

I've had very little successes with my weight loss journey but here is one area where I have. I have to find some way to tranfer the disciple I have in this area to other areas of my health and then I'll be in business!

Visit my sponsors:

1) DreamHost – Web Hosting used by johnisfit.com
2) Go Daddy – Domain registration
3) Intellilinks – Earn money publishing links on your website

Post from: John Is Fit - Personal Weight Loss Blog

Second Year on CPAP

VirtuaGym Review

Posted: 01 Aug 2011 07:24 PM PDT

VirtuaGym WorkoutsI didn't plan to do a review post today but I figured I'd crank one out since I did give VirtuaGym a try today as I looked for a way to get a little exercise while in a hotel.

VirtuaGym is an Android application offering workout plans for both the home and gym. What makes it unique from other workout plan apps I have seen is that it is very visual, with animated characters showing you the workouts and a coach "Brad Fit" who calls out the number of reps and the occasional motivations to keep you going.

Brad can be a little corny. Here are some of my favorites:

"You're reaching your goals."
"You will turn heads."
"Can you feel the burn?"
"You're burning calories like an inferno."
"Let's get sweaty."
"Oh my, you'll look hot."

May be corny, but I have to see the combination of the visual animation and the audio makes it very easy to follow along, even when you can't be looking at the phone.

This morning I did the 15 minute morning workout which is classified as "beginner", and while it was really simple, the fact I was sweating a bit after the 15 minutes. I also found that my knee that has been bothering me for a few weeks actually felt a little better today, perhaps because of the stretching it got put through with exercises like squats and lunges, not to mention a little yoga.

One thing I haven't been able to figure out is how to do multiple sets of an exercise. There seems to be a visual cue on the app that shows you can do multiple sets, but I haven't figured out how to make it work. Other than this, the app is simple and easy to use.

The app is free, it's a little fun and corny and it might actually get you to do a little exercising. if you are on an Android based phone tablet, give VirtuaGym a try.

Visit my sponsors:

1) DreamHost – Web Hosting used by johnisfit.com
2) Go Daddy – Domain registration
3) Intellilinks – Earn money publishing links on your website

Post from: John Is Fit - Personal Weight Loss Blog

VirtuaGym Review

5 Tips To Get More Results From Your Workouts

Posted: 01 Aug 2011 06:54 PM PDT

This is a guest post by Jonathan Dunsky.

Number FiveIt is common knowledge that exercising is crucial whether you're trying to lose weight, build muscle, or maintain good health.

But not everyone who works out gets the same or even similar results. Some see rapid changes in their body, energy level, and well-being, while others seem to be stuck and are incapable of producing any real change.

In this post I want to talk about 5 simple tips to help you get more from your workouts.

1. Frequency matters – A workout is not a one time thing. It needs to be done routinely.

A good workout frequency is anywhere between 3 and 6 workouts each week. I won't go into specifics about how to design a workout plan based on different frequencies. I just want you to know that you will not get results unless you train regularly.

2. A warm up is crucial – A lot of people skip on their warm up. They rush into lifting weights or settle for rotating their arms 3 – 4 times, as if that is enough to really get your muscles ready for a hard session.

Let me say it clearly: doing a warm up is not a choice. It is something you have to do to reduce the risk of injury. You can walk for a few minutes on a treadmill or use a rowing machine or, jump with a rope as I do. The main thing is to be warmed up before doing any strength exercises.

3. Use a music player – The quality of your workout is related to your mindset. One of the best ways to get pumped up in the gym is to listen to music during your workout. When I go to the gym I load up my ipod with my favorite songs, the kind that make me feel energized. I don't rely on the music at the gym because I want songs that I really love. Always have a music player with you when you go to the gym. You will train harder.

4. Work in an unstable setting – Instead of doing exercises while you're sitting in a chair, consider using a bosu ball or a stability ball. When you use an unstable surface you need to use more muscles to keep yourself steady. This works your core muscles in addition to whatever muscle your targeting in that specific exercise.

5. Do multi-jointed exercises – If you want to get a great effect for the time you put into your workouts, you need to work more muscles. This is why I don't like isolation exercises like bicep curls which target a single muscle group. It is much better to do exercises such as squats, pull ups, push ups, and other multi-jointed exercises. The more muscles you work, the harder your workout will be.

I hope that you will take these tips and implement them in your next workout. If you do, I'm certain that you will see better results.

Post from: John Is Fit - Personal Weight Loss Blog

5 Tips To Get More Results From Your Workouts

0 comments:

Post a Comment